Vikings Training Camp 2018: Top 6 position battles to watch
By Adam Patrick
6. Third Running Back
Mack Brown vs. Roc Thomas vs. Mike Boone
Minnesota already knows who the top two running backs are going to be on their 2018 depth chart. Dalvin Cook is expected to be the Vikings’ starter and Latavius Murray will be his backup.
Behind these two is where the questions begin.
Jerick McKinnon was technically Minnesota’s third running back in 2017, but he ended up getting a bunch of playing time due to Cook tearing his ACL. McKinnon is no longer on the Vikings’ roster this year, so his spot on the team is up for grabs.
Competing for the vacant role in Minnesota’s offensive backfield this summer will be Mack Brown, Roc Thomas, and Mike Boone. Brown has played sparingly in the NFL for the past two seasons, while Thomas and Boone are both rookies.
Due to his experience, Brown is probably the frontrunner right now to be the Vikings’ third running back in 2018. However, a solid training camp and preseason by either Thomas or Boone could result in one of them ending up among Minnesota’s final 53 this year.